Why Sharon? Why?!

WHY SHARON? WHY?!

by Matt Bond

We need to talk about Sharon Van Etten. Well, I need to talk about Sharon Van Etten and since this handy outlet is available for me to talk about her, here we are... talking about Sharon Van Etten. Long have we been fans of the American indie singer-songwriter, she of the ability to weave devastatingly relatable tales of heartbreak, longing and regret into gorgeous folk tunes. Just to be clear, that's not an exaggeration. Her music is devastating. Despite your best efforts to avoid them, her songs will give you those 'feels' you've heard so much about. All of the 'feels' even. No, wait. That one's a lie. The feelings you'll get from her music will mostly be related to sadness, heartache and more sadness. So much sadness.


Why am I talking about Sharon Van Etten? Well, I've been doing this thing where every month I pick an artist and download all of their available albums on Apple Music and listen to them and enjoy the good times that will follow. So I picked Sharon Van Etten last month and listening to her sort of rolled into this month and haha funny story the good times have actually turned out to be really sad times because when you listen to a lot of Sharon Van Etten you're in for one fucking sad time. That funny story we were talking about one line ago turns out to be incredibly unfunny. Haha. Lolz. Cries.

So many lols you guys. 

But don't just take my word for it. Take Van Etten's words or her lyrics to be more accurate. Let's get to some of her music shall we?

YOUR LOVE IS KILLING ME:

Best lines: Break my legs so I won't walk to you, cut my tongue so I can't talk to you, burn my skin so I can't feel you, stab my eyes so I can't see.

Best YouTube comment: "How to know if you're over someone: Play any song by Sharon Van Etten. If you don't burst into tears, congrats!" by Vermillion Bird. 

I KNOW:

Best lines: And then you disappear because you can't fight fear, I know, I know.

Best YouTube comment: "Sometimes a song can be too poignant..." by enrvuk. 

I LOVE YOU BUT I'M LOST:

Best lines: Let's turn it into something we can change, I love you but I'm lost, between the pain and cost, I hold myself alive, I love you but I'm lost, I love you but I'm lost, I love you but I'm lost, I love you but I'm lost.

Best YouTube comment: "I honestly can not listen to this performance of this incredibly beautiful and haunting song without tearing up. Have more personal lyrics ever been written? Thank you Sharon." by Van Smith. 

I ALWAYS FALL APART:

Best lines: You know it's always been my heart, you know I always fall apart, it's not my fault it's just my flaw, it's who I am.

Best YouTube comment: "I feel like a little piece of my heart breaks each and every time I hear this song. Which I could say about many of Sharon Van Etten's tracks. Hauntingly beautiful in the best possible way." - so, awkward... this was me but I had to write something. The only other comment from 'Nerfy124' just said, "LOVE YOU." Which is valid, but still, keep it together Nerfy. 

SERPENTS:

Best lines: You enjoy sucking on dreams, so I will fall asleep with someone other than you, I had a thought you would take me, seriously and listen on.

Best YouTube comment: "I don't know why, but this song hits me real hard on some subconscious level. Every time that guitar riff is heard between those two lyrics at 0:42, I get teary eyed without really knowing why. I think the riff somehow invokes the notion of time passing by our individual life-stories (presented by the lyrics), leading our existence to its inevitable end and it has fucked me up every time... Still one of my favourite songs ever." by Vilkku.

ONE DAY:

Best lines: Don't leave me now, you might love me back.

Best YouTube comment: "This was the first dance song at a wedding I went to recently. It was beautiful and I've been in love with this song ever since." by livexthexlife1992. 

- Sidebar: that wedding sounds bleak. Did they listen to the lyrics? Was everyone at the wedding crying? And not in an "I'm so happy for you" way.  

So, is this you right now? 

You, right now.

It's okay. Let it out. And asks yourself, why Sharon? Why would you do this to me? Imagine how you'd feel after working your way through through five albums. Today was meant to be full of joy and rainbows and smiles and now there will never be love again and it's all because of Sharon Van Etten! 

Until you go and put on something more upbeat I guess. And in all seriousness, there will be love again because we love, love, love the music of Sharon Van Etten. She's an incredible artist and one of the finest, most brutally honest and unique songwriters in music today. Listen to as much of her music as you can... but maybe, just maybe, don't listen to all of her albums at once. We want you to have a nice weekend, k? 

Top 25 - 27 September, 2016

Big Smoke!

1. Tkay Maidza ft. Killer Mike - Carry On (#1 for 4 weeks!)





2. Tash Sultana - Jungle





3. Jess Kent - The Sweet Spot





4. Just A Gent ft. Ella Vos and Joey Chavez - Rolling Dice





5. Big Smoke - Best of You (NEW)





Matt's Pick of the Week: Big Smoke's Luke Brennan, Alex O'Gorman, Tim Baker and Joe Cope have been working hard to finish the production of their upcoming LP Time Is Golden, due for release October 28. Last week they released the first single from the album, the heartwarming 'Best Of You', which is a more than worthy addition to their wonderful catalogue of music. If you're a fan of the Melbourne outfit, you would know the very sad news that came earlier in the year when frontman Adrian Slattery passed away. 'Best of You' and its accompanying video form a moving tribute from the rest of the band to an artist who passed far too young. There's not much else to say except listen and love and look out for Time Is Golden at the end of October, because we already know it's going to be one of the year's best albums. (Matt Bond)


6. Allie and Ivy - Best Friends (NEW)





Jo's Pick of the Week: So we received an email recently that had this song tucked away in it and I scrolled through the words pretty quickly because so many emails so many words, but I found this cute little electro indie pop number that got itself stuck in my brain pretty quickly. Thank goodness I scrolled through the words because to be honest, a song named 'Best Friends' is probably not one I'd normally press play on, but that whole thing about not judging a book by it's cover is a thing I should follow, because soon enough it'll be don't judge a kindle by it's case or something and that doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it? Never mind, I'm glad I don't like to judge books or kindles or songs for that matter, because this one's a little sweet summery pop song that sounds like diamonds, rainbows, poolside cocktails and not a care in the world, all rolled into one. The only thing left to think about is whether Allie and Ivy are one person or two, but I'll let you figure that out for yourself. (Jo Michelmore) 


7. Lanks - Holla





8. Alexander Biggs - Tidal Wave (NEW)





9. Gretta Ray - Unwind (NEW)




10. Tami Neilson - Holy Moses





11. Olympia - Self Talk





12. Sia - The Greatest





13. Remi ft. Jordan Rakei - Lose Sleep





14. Ali Barter - Girlie Bits





15. Sparrows - Get To Know You (NEW)





16. Lastlings - Time (NEW)





17. Mondo Cozmo - Shine





18. Ben Wright Smith - Sand Grabber (NEW)





19. Babaganouj - Sorry





20. Postblue - Love To Praise You (NEW)





21. Abbe May ft. Joni Hogan and Odette Mercy - Doomsday Clock





22. Gretta Ray - Drive





23. PASSERINE - White Shadows and Grey Noise





24. Winters End - Afterthought





25. Ayla - Like The Other Kids

Top 25 - 20 September, 2016

Just A Gent!

1. Tkay Maidza ft. Killer Mike - Carry On (#1 for 3 weeks!)





2. Lanks - Holla





3. Just A Gent ft. Ella Vos and Joey Chavez - Rolling Dice (NEW)





Jo's Pick of the Week: I've watched this clip over and over and over again, partly because my laptop kept stopping at 1:52 and I needed to know what happened after those beats dropped, and partly because it's a strangely hypnotic clip, which matches a strangely hypnotic song, I guess. Good directing, director person. Or is that the producer? Or the editor? I don't have any idea who does what in music clips, but whoever they are, they're doing a darn good job of it with Just A Gent's 'Rolling Dice'. Do the kids even know what the word darn means? We need to bring back the word darn. I digress. One assumes this is a story about choices, considering the definition that pops up on your screen at the beginning, but I just really like the cute little toon guys that appear somewhere after that 1:52 mark. My choice is to not take things too seriously and just enjoy the pretty colours because I don't have any idea what's going on at the end there, but it looks good. (Jo Michelmore)


4. Olympia - Self Talk





5. Tami Neilson - Holy Moses (NEW)





Matt's Pick of the Week: I don't know much about Tami Neilson. I know she's from New Zealand. That's something I can tell you. I can also tell you that she has an amazing voice, but if you've clicked on the clip for 'Holy Moses' above you've already figured that out for yourself. Neilson has a booming, powerful voice that's timelessness will appeal to all that hear it. If her voice and the music don't make you want to dance about ten seconds into this track then you need to sit in the sun and start thawing out that icy cold heart. I don't know much about Tami Neilson. But after listening to 'Holy Moses' I want to know all that there is to know about her. Great, great song. The clip's a lot of fun too. (Matt Bond)


6. Jess Kent - The Sweet Spot (NEW)





7. Remi ft. Jordan Rakei - Lose Sleep





8. Sia - The Greatest





9. Tash Sultana - Jungle





10. Gretta Ray - Drive





11. Abbe May ft. Joni Hogan and Odette Mercy - Doomsday Clock





12. Julia Jacklin - Coming Of Age (NEW)





13. Ayla - Like The Other Kids





14. British India - I Thought We Knew Each Other





15. Ali Barter - Girlie Bits





16. PASSERINE - White Shadows and Grey Noise





17. Mondo Cozmo - Shine (NEW)





18. Winters End - Afterthought





19. Babaganouj - Sorry





20. Heart People - Show You (NEW)





21. Rowena Wise - Hollow Hearts (NEW)





22. Chet Porter ft. Chelsea Cutler - Stay





23. Montaigne - Till It Kills Me





24. Holy Holy - Darwinism





25. WAAX - This Everything

Top 25 - 13 September, 2016

Lanks!

1. Tkay Maidza ft. Killer Mike - Carry On





2. LANKS - Holla (NEW)





Jo's Pick of the Week: There's a buzz about LANKS at the moment and so it seemed right for him to take that buzz to a BIGSOUND stage last week. Matt and I saw him there, actually we saw him a couple of times. Not on stage, what I mean is that there were a couple of showcases we were at that LANKS was at too, lurking about the back in his stripey shirt just trying to find some new music in peace. I can't remember who was on at the same time that he played, but I made the tough decision to see someone else, which may or may not have had more to do with the shoes I was wearing and the distance between venues than my actual desire to see him, which was actually quite high. Now that it's a few days later and I've just listened to his latest track 'Holla', I'm wishing I had made the trek from one venue to the other, because the musical world LANKS lives in is a beautiful one. A song that surrounds like a great big blankie, 'Holla' really is delicious; four minutes of comfort, keyboards and beats that make me feel as warm and happy as much as they make me want to have a little sway to his sounds in a big darkened room. Now I'll have to wait until he comes back to Brisbane for that opportunity, hopefully with a tour in celebration of his new EP Viet Rose, which is to be released in mid October and more than likely deserving of all the buzz surrounding him, which I'd like to add to right now. (Jo Michelmore)


3. Remi ft. Jordan Rakei - Lose Sleep





4. Olympia - Self Talk (NEW)





Matt's Pick of the Week: One act we did get to see showcasing their talents at Bigsound this year was Olympia, one of the definitive must-see acts on the second night. Olympia and her band put on a show to remember at the Ric's Bar Outdoor Stage, tearing it up with tracks from her incredibly well received 2016 LP, Self Talk. Former single 'Smoke Signals' brought her set to a thundering conclusion, but I was super excited to hear the title track 'Self Talk', a song I've been listening to a whole lot since the album's release. I was even more excited to see only days later that it's received the music video treatment and has been released as Olympia's new single. Colourful and creative, the accompanying clip to the song is so wonderfully 80s you won't be able to resist it. The song itself is simply good pop music, with delicious synths backing Olympia's almost detached delivery of lines like, "in the night you drive, taking in it all, when you talk to her, lonely hearts will call." Even though we just saw Olympia live, I'm mighty tempted to head along to her upcoming Different Cities tour (kicking off Oct 29 in Sydney) to see what she can do without the constraints of a half hour time frame. I already know it will be amazing. (Matt Bond) 


5. Amy Shark - Adore





6. Gretta Ray - Drive (NEW)





7. Ayla - Like The Other Kids





8. Tash Sultana - Jungle (NEW)





9. Abbe May ft. Joni Hogan and Odette Mercy - Doomsday Clock





10. PASSERINE - White Shadows and Grey Noise





11. Ali Barter - Girlie Bits





12. Chet Porter ft. Chelsea Cutler - Stay





13. British India - I Thought We Knew Each Other (NEW)





14. Babaganouj - Sorry (Re-Entry)





15. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Jesus Alone





16. Winters End - Afterthought





17. Sia - The Greatest (NEW)





18. Montaigne - Till It Kills Me





19. Hot Spoke - Outlines





20. Holy Holy - Darwinism





21. Airling - Move Me





22. WAAX - This Everything





23. Gang of Youths - The Good Fight





24. Lisa Mitchell - The Boys





25. Florence + The Machine - Wish That You Were Here

Text Review - BIGSOUND 2016

BIGSOUND FESTIVAL 2016

Fortitude Valley, Brisbane (7-9 September 2016)

Reviewed through the wonders of text messaging

by Matthew Bond and Jo Michelmore

Here it is, that time of year yet again, when music, people with lanyards and people without, people making poor fashion choices and people making excellent life choices converge in one small suburb in the middle of Brisbane, wandering the streets looking for spaces without tall people in front of them and stages where they will find their new favourite rapper/singer/band/drummer/roadie/floppy hair-ed obsession. Yet again, we took to those filthy fabulous streets to see it all, hear it all and feel it all, elbow in face and all, for what has become some of our favourite nights of the year, at BIGSOUND. And now you get to relive it all through the eyes of us and our phones and no where near enough emoji. We must have been distracted by all the good music. Ladies and gentlemen, BIGSOUND via text, 2016...

Wednesday, 7th September

Matt:

A little discussion, a beverage, some reminiscing about BIGSOUND of the past, BIGSOUNDof the present, BIGSOUND of the future (once we get our country/hip hop/rock band together, we'll be obviously be appearing 2018, 2019, 2020...), some random chats to some random valley-goers and we realise it's actually our fifth year at the glory of all BIGSOUND has to offer, so let's edit the shit out of that text message and start this again. 

Matt:

Jo:

Matt:

Jo:

 

Matt:

Jo: 

Matt:

Jo: 

Matt: 

Jo: 

Matt: 

Jo:

Matt:

Oh Black Bear! Oh Pep! Oh tall people! 

Jo:

Matt: 

Jo: 

Matt: 

Tkayyyyyyyyyyy!!!!

Jo: 

Thursday, 8th September 

Jo:

 

Matt: 

Jo: 

Banff + Machine Age = awesome.

Matt:

Jo: 

Matt:

 

Matt:

Jo:

Matt:

Jo: 

Matt: 

Jo: 

Matt: 

Jo: